Cathedral City to Build Amphitheater

CATHEDRAL CITY – Construction is scheduled to start in June on a $2.8 million amphitheater in the heart of downtown adding another showpiece to the revitalized hub of activity.

“This will continue our efforts to make downtown an arts and entertainment district that is walkable and accessible to our residents and visitors,” said Mayor Pro Tem Greg Pettis.  “The Council believes that the arts, especially live arts, are critical to any community.  We couldn’t be more excited for this new addition.”

Construction on the 2,000-seat venue, which will feature theater-style seating, is expected to be complete in February 2019, Communications/Events Manager Christopher Parman told Uken Report.

Once completed, it will feature a walking trail and children’s play area.

“The amphitheater is one of our main anchors we are looking to have in our downtown entertainment district,” Mayor Stan Henry told Uken Report. “Our goal is to have the downtown be a live, vibrant area that our residents and visitors want to come to. We look forward to having all types of events in the amphitheater in the near future.”

Cathedral City has been actively rejuvenating its downtown district and commons area. A wealth of projects have already been completed, including new civic center complex and town square. This area includes city government offices, the police department, a cinema complex, a soon-to-open repertory theater, restaurants, a parking structure, and recreational amenities such as the Fountain of Life, and the Cathedral City Commons festival lawn, which provides grass areas for outdoor enjoyment and festival events.

To further enhance the downtown, the City has dedicated vacant land next to the Civic Center for the Commons Heritage Park Outdoor Amphitheater.

In a continuing effort to encourage public use of this civic space, the city applied for and received a $2.8 million California State Parks Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to create a new and interactive outdoor amphitheater space for cultural, entertainment and recreation events and activities, according to Parman.  This grant must cover the cost to design and construct the theater and amenities, as well as all city costs for project and grant administration.  There are no additional funds.

“It will be utilized for our city’s signature festivals such as the Balloon Festival, Taste of Jalisco, and LGBT Days,” Parman said. “It will also be available to be leased for third-party promotions.  We also plan to have other events such as Movies in the Park, Shakespeare in the Park, Food Truck events, and general park uses.”

Currently, the Heritage Park subject site is comprised of a vacant lot at the corner of Cathedral Canyon Drive and Avenida Lalo Guerrero within the civic center complex and adjacent to the downtown parking structure. The total size of the lots is 2.51 acres.